Sedbergh Scrapbook

Polish pilot Antoni Gosiewski sadly lost his life in 1941 when a plane he was delivering crashed on Arrant Haw near Sedbergh. Antoni’s story is particularly poignant, as his wife and two children died earlier in the same year when travelling to join him in England on the ‘SS Avoceta’ which was torpedoed and sunk in the north Atlantic.

This article by local author, and staff member at Westwood Books, Caitlin Lynagh outlines the development of Sedbergh with a history which goes back to Saxon times through to the present day as a popular walker’s destination and Book Town for everyone.

Students from Sedbergh School have begun planting 2,000 trees at Low Branthwaites as part of the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust’s Together for Trees campaign, which aims to plant 100,000 trees over the next two years.

We asked some local people what their favourite micro adventures are. You’ll soon see that you don’t need to go far to do amazing things when you visit Sedbergh.

Sedbergh was not in the forefront of the battle during World War Two. Nevertheless it played its part and its financial contribution was quite remarkable.

When foot and mouth devastated this area in 2001 a group of local people decided to take a step of faith and develop Sedbergh into a book town. The project took off, book shops opened and festivals occurred annually. Of course, with austerity, some shops have closed and businesses are facing ongoing challenges.

Having never worked from home before and only ever worked in a city centre, the move to Cautley, Sedbergh and relocation of myself as a company director to a Northern office, was a big decision and a huge change for me. I am so pleased to be able to say, 17 months later, that it has all worked out perfectly.

It was May 2002 when we first left the M6 at junction 37 and turned right towards Sedbergh.  As you drive down the hill, there’s that magical moment when you see the Howgills in all their glory on the left, plus a glimpse of the Yorkshire Dales to the right. At a layby, we pulled in, got out of the car and stood in wonder at the magnificent green and gold colours that flooded into our memories. In 16 years, we’ve never tired of that view or forgotten that first day.

The tenth biennial Sedbergh Music Festival, founded by Deryck Cox, chaired by Tony Reed Screen, opens for business at 7.30 p.m. on Sunday, June 3rd in St Andrew’s Church with Vivaldi’s rousing ‘Gloria’ and runs until Sunday, June 17th.

The ‘Dales 30’ are the mountains in the Cumbrian and Yorkshire Dales that are over 2,000 feet high. They offer a very achievable challenge for those who want a more complete appreciation of this lovely walking area.